Should I even bother going?
Kris sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the envelope. The Tanimora Hunter Academy seal gleamed in gold lettering, mocking him with its presence.
Awakening Ceremony - Attendance Mandatory
Three weeks had passed since he'd woken up in a dumpster, beaten nearly to death after Jake Wilson's consciousness had merged with Kristopher Lane's dying body. Three weeks after he'd walked back into that academy and put Jin and his crew in the hospital with a calm that frightened even himself.
The old Kristopher would have been terrified of today, would have walked into that hall with his head down, hoping against hope that the System would give him something to make his parents proud.
What a fool.
Jake Wilson had died at thirty-two from liver cancer that ate through his body. Before that, he'd survived Chicago's streets as an orphan since he was five and he'd learnt one simple truth on those streets through years of survival: the world didn't care about your effort or your dreams. You either took what you needed, or you died wanting.
A soft knock on his door interrupted his thoughts.
"Young master," the butler's voice came through, measured and polite as always. "The car is ready whenever you wish to depart."
Kris stood slowly, grabbing his black jacket from where it hung. No family crest embroidered on the breast. No Lane colors shimmering on the sleeves. Just plain black fabric against his skin.
"Coming."
*******
Kris stepped out of the car, and immediately felt eyes tracking his movement across the courtyard.
The whispers started before he even reached the entrance, brushing against his ears like irritating insects.
"That's him over there..."
"Can't believe they actually let him come back after what happened..."
"Jin's still in the hospital, you know that right?"
A girl with blonde hair leaned toward her friend, her voice carrying through the cool morning air. "I heard Jin can't even eat solid food yet. His jaw's still wired shut from the beating."
"Serves him right for picking on Lane all those years," another student muttered from nearby. "Though I never thought the useless one had it in him to fight back like that."
"Useless? You mean disappointing. His parents are literal legends and he's... well, that."
Kris walked past them without a glance or acknowledgment, hands resting easily in his pockets. Let them talk all they wanted. Let them judge and whisper behind cupped hands. In a few hours, none of it would matter anyway.
The hall's interior was simpler than he expected given its grand exterior. Thirty students sat in tiered seating arranged in a half-circle, all wearing their academy uniforms with various pins and medals reflecting their family status. At the center of the room, on a raised platform of polished stone, sat the Awakening Stone - an ancient crystal orb that glowed faintly.
More whispers erupted when he entered the chamber, like rustling leaves before a storm.
"He actually showed his face..."
"After what he did to Jin and the others?"
"Look at him walking around like nothing happened..."
A boy with flaming red hair leaned back in his seat, arms crossed over his chest. "My dad said the only reason he wasn't expelled immediately is because Elias Lane funds half the school's budget. Money talks when your kid's a psycho, I guess."
"SSS-Rank father, S-Rank brother, and he's probably going to awaken absolutely nothing," another student said, not bothering to lower his voice as Kris passed. "The eternal Lane family disappointment."
Kris found a seat in the back corner, away from everyone else in the chamber. He slouched down, watching Director Rahl take his position beside the Awakening Stone. The director's smile looked painted on, not quite reaching his eyes as he surveyed the assembled students.
"Young men and women," Rahl's voice filled the hall, practiced and smooth from years of these ceremonies. "Today, thirty of you will touch the Awakening Stone and learn your destiny. Some of you will awaken classes that will define your future paths. Some of you will not." He paused, letting that sink in with theatrical timing. "Remember that only about eight percent of humanity ever awakens to the System's grace. The System chooses based on potential, not desire or effort. Your worth isn't determined by whether you have power - only by what you choose to do with whatever gifts you receive."
Empty words flowing from the director. Kris had heard variations of this speech in Kristopher's memories many times before. The director didn't believe a word of it. Nobody in this room truly did.
A nervous energy filled the chamber as students shifted in their seats, some clutching lucky charms or family heirlooms, others whispering quick prayers to gods that probably didn't care about their small ambitions.
Kris felt none of that anxiety coursing through him. Only cold certainty.
"First candidate: Elias Oba."
A muscular boy stood up from the front row, confidence radiating from every step as he approached the stone. He placed his hand on the glowing crystal, and blue light flared upward like a sudden flame.
"C-Rank Berserker Warrior!" Rahl announced, his smile widening with satisfaction. "An excellent start to our ceremony!"
Elias grinned as classmates congratulated him with pats on the back and whispered praise. A solid combat class that would serve him well. He'd make decent money clearing Gates with a guild, maybe even hit B-Rank with enough training and a bit of luck in the right tower levels.
The ceremony continued through the morning. Most students didn't awaken at all-the stone stayed dark when they touched it, and they walked away with forced smiles barely hiding their devastation. A few got E or D-Rank support classes that would keep them on the periphery of Hunter society. One girl awakened a C-Rank Healer class and started crying with relief, her hands shaking as she covered her face while friends surrounded her with genuine congratulations.
Kris watched it all with detached interest from his corner. The old Kristopher had dreamed of this day for years in secret. He had imagined awakening something powerful enough, something impressive enough to finally make his parents look at him without that quiet disappointment lingering in their eyes.
Pathetic dreams from a pathetic boy.
"Next candidate: Sera Mitchell."
A quiet girl with dark hair approached the stone with hesitant steps. Green light flickered weakly around her fingers when she made contact.
"D-Rank Scout. Congratulations, Miss Mitchell."
Sera nodded, her shoulders sagging with what looked like relief mixed with barely concealed disappointment. D-Rank wasn't impressive by any standard, but it was better than walking away with nothing at all.
More names were called. More failures and minor successes paraded before the crowd. The students who didn't awaken tried to hide their devastation behind brave faces and forced laughs. The ones who got low-rank classes tried to look grateful for their minor gifts, like being barely powerful was better than being nothing at all in this world.
Finally, Rahl's voice changed subtly. Became uncertain, like he was reading a name he didn't want to acknowledge.
"Next candidate... Kristopher Lane."
The hall went completely silent, as if someone had muted all sound.
Every eye turned toward him with undisguised curiosity. Kris stood slowly, deliberately taking his time as he descended toward the stone. He walked down the center aisle, hands still resting in his pockets, expressions revealing nothing but mild boredom. A girl near the front row clutched her friend's hand, watching him like he might explode into violence at any moment.
"Can't believe they're even letting him try after what happened..."
"What's the point? Everyone knows he's been useless his whole life..."
"His brother awakened S-Rank at sixteen. What's he going to get? F-Rank Janitor or something?"
Someone laughed nervously at that weak joke, the sound dying quickly in the tense air.
Kris reached the platform and stopped in front of the Awakening Stone. Up close, it looked less impressive than legend suggested. Just a glowing rock that decided your worth based on cosmic rules nobody truly understood.
He didn't care what it said about him. Jake Wilson had survived for years without any System, without any powers or special abilities. If this stone declared him worthless again, fine. He'd find another way forward like he always had.
Director Rahl cleared his throat, his fingers drumming once against his thigh before he caught himself. "Place your hand on the stone and clear your mind. The System will do the rest."
Kris was already reaching out before the instructions finished.
The moment his fingers touched the crystal surface, everything changed around him.
Warmth flooded up his arm-not painful but intensely present, like something vast was reaching into his very core, reading every part of his soul, weighing him against standards he couldn't possibly comprehend.
Then the stone began to glow beneath his palm.